A village pond near Nabha has gone from being home to 53 bird species and a plethora of fish to a death trap. A number of birds and fish have turned up dead in the water body recently, prompting complaints and from bird watchers. The Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) has now collected samples to ascertain the cause of such deaths.
The Hiana Kalan village pond, spread on both sides of the road, was a haven for bird. “The wetland beyond these ponds and the ponds themselves, attract lots of birds — water fowl, ducks, geese, herons, storks, egrets, swallows, drongos and great cormorants. During my last visit to Hiana Kalan pond on January 8 this year, me and my friend counted more than 60 bird species and the total number of birds exceeded 800. This data was posted on the eBird website”, says Professor Emeritus (English) at Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Swaraj Raj, who is an avid bird photographer.
“Two days ago, when my friend and I went there, we were shocked when we found dead, bloated and stinking fish floating in the pond. It was a horrible sight. The entire area was full of the stench of rotting flesh”, he said as raised the matter with authorities.
As The Tribune team visited the spot, it found the pond full of dead fish. Buffaloes and other cattle reared by local villagers were also grazing near the pond. Villagers said the dead fish began turning up over the past month.
Following queries from the senior pollution board officials, a team led by Er Pritpal Kaur (SDO) and Er Prahjot Kaur (SDO) visited the spot.
“A complaint was received regarding dead fish in the pond. A PPCB team visited the site. During inspection, it was observed that the pond was quite large and the water was dark green in color, algae-like and had a rotten egg smell,” said Pritpal Kaur.
“Upon inquiry from the villagers, it was found that the water had been stagnant for a long time. They also informed the team that a large number of fish had died and were buried by the villagers. During the visit, water samples were collected and sent to the Head Office Water Laboratory, Patiala, for analysis. Further action will be taken based on the reports,” she added.
